Vladimir Rusakov

Vladimir Vasilyevich Rusakov (Russian: Влади́мир Васи́льевич Русако́в; 30 December 1909 – 12 October 1951) was a Soviet Army major general.

After joining the Red Army at the end of the 1920s, Rusakov became a junior officer and served in the Soviet Far East before graduating from the Frunze Military Academy after Operation Barbarossa. He spent the first year of the war before being sent to the 14th Guards Rifle Division, which he commanded for much of 1943 before being relieved of command for slow fulfillment of orders. Within two weeks, he returned to command, this time of the 58th Guards Rifle Division. Rusakov led the division for the rest of its existence as it advanced westward, aside from several months recovering from a wound. It was the first Soviet unit to link up with American troops in late April 1945. Postwar Rusakov held brigade and division command but died of illness in 1951.